Dec. 24, 2013
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The top-ranked Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling team, under the direction of head coach Cael Sanderson, heads into the turn of the year with ten wrestlers ranked among the top 20 in the latest Intermat national rankings. Six of Penn State's ten ranked grapplers are listed among the top three at their respective weights.
Penn State is ranked No. 1 in the latest Intermat Tournament Power Index (TPI) with 115.5 points while Minnesota is in second with 111.0. Iowa sits in third with 103.5 as the three teams are the only ones over 100 points. Oklahoma State and Oklahoma round out the top five. The TPI ranks a team's potential tournament strength based on Intermat's individual rankings, not dual meet strength. The full list of national rankings is available at www.intermatwrestle.com.
Two-time All-American Nico Megaludis (Murrysville, Pa.) is No. 3 at 125 with an 11-1 record while red-shirt freshman Jimmy Gulibon (Latrobe, Pa.) checks in with a No. 18 ranking at 133. True freshman Zain Retherford (Benton, Pa.) maintains his hold on the No. 2 spot at 141 a perfect 12-0 mark. Junior Andrew Alton (Mill Hall, Pa.) and twin brother Dylan Alton (Mill Hall, Pa.) continue at No. 7 and No. 5 respectively at 149 and 157. The duo is set to compete in the Wilkes Open on Dec. 28 after missing the first two months of the season rehabbing off-season surgeries.
Three-time All-American David Taylor (St. Paris, Ohio) is No. 1 at 165 with a perfect 12-0 record while junior All-American Matt Brown (West Valley City, Utah) is No. 3 at 174 with an identical 12-0 mark as well. Three-time All-American Ed Ruth (Harrisburg, Pa.) is No. 1 at 184, also with a 12-0 record and sophomore Morgan McIntosh (Santa Ana, Calif.) is No. 3 at 197 with an 11-0 ledger. Junior Jimmy Lawson (Tom's River, N.J.) is No. 12 at 285 with a 10-1 record. Penn State, with six wrestlers ranked in the top three, features a line-up that has five unbeaten individuals with 10 or more victories.
Penn State heads to Chattanooga, Tenn., on Jan. 1-2 in search of its fourth-straight Southern Scuffle title. The event, hosted by UT-Chattanooga, begins on New Year's Day at 9 a.m. Penn State's next home date is a Sunday, Jan. 12, dual with Purdue in Rec Hall at 2 p.m.
With the full season of Rec Hall duals sold out prior to the start of the campaign, a very limited number of standing room only tickets are available to a few of remaining Rec Hall duals. People may purchase tickets by calling 1-800-NITTANY or by visiting the Penn State Athletics ticket office located in the BJC. Fans are encouraged to follow Penn State wrestling via twitter at www.twitter.com/pennstateWREST and on Penn State Wrestling's Facebook page at www.facebook.com/pennstatewrestling. The 2013-14 Penn State Wrestling season is presented by The Family Clothesline.